WA Government wants to ban foreign donations to State political parties

The State Government wants to ban foreign donations to State branches of political parties amid wider concern about the influence of overseas cash on Australia’s political system.

The move is likely to bring most pain to the WA Liberals and Nationals, who remain the biggest takers of cash from foreign entities and foreign companies.

In a brief statement to The West Australian, Electoral Affairs Minister Bill Johnston confirmed the WA Government was considering blocking foreign donations to local political parties as part of its election promise to reform disclosure regimes.

“It’s part of the consideration we are making at the moment,” he said.

The Federal Government is going ahead with laws to ban foreign donations after serious concerns were raised about both major parties taking huge sums of cash from foreign donors.

Most First World nations have long had strict rules banning foreign money from political systems.

Last year, NSW Labor powerbroker Sam Dastyari was forced to quit Federal Parliament amid a series of scandals over his links to Chinese donors.